The Speaker’s Lobby: GOP Leadership

FOX's Chad Pergram discusses who will take over once House Speaker Paul Ryan retires.

I'm Chad Pergram with the Speaker's Lobby.

Who will be what in the House in the 116th Congress is as muddled as its been in decades.

Let's look at Republican leadership races. House Speaker Paul Ryan is retiring. If Republicans retain the House, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is the odds-on favorite to become Speaker. But there's a reason why McCarthy isn't the Speaker today.

McCarthy lacked the votes after former House Speaker John Boehner moved on three years ago. The Speaker must secure an absolute majority of the entire House. McCarthy far and away scored the support of the majority of Republicans, but not a majority of the House. That's due to GOP defections.

If Republicans lose the House, McCarthy's chances of becoming Minority Leader are better. That's because the successful candidate only needs a simple majority among House Republicans.

Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan is running for Speaker, but it's believed Jordan can only command a maximum of 70 votes on a good day. That's why there's House Majority Whip Steve Scalise.

Scalise commands extraordinary respect adulation and sympathy after taking a bullet at last year's Republican baseball practice and then rallying back to health.